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feat: Added Form Dirty State Manager snippet for preventing data loss (#2577)
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# Form Dirty State Prevention
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## Overview
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Detects form changes and warns users before navigating away or closing the form, preventing accidental data loss.
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## What It Does
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- Tracks form field changes (dirty state)
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- Warns user before leaving unsaved form
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- Allows user to cancel navigation
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- Works with all form fields
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- Prevents accidental data loss
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- Clean, reusable pattern
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## Use Cases
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- Complex multi-field forms
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- Long data entry forms
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- Forms with expensive operations
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- Critical data entry (financial, medical)
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- Any form where accidental exit would cause issues
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## Files
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- `form_dirty_state_manager.js` - Client Script to manage form state
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## How to Use
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### Step 1: Create Client Script
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1. Go to **System Definition > Scripts** (any table)
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2. Create new Client Script
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3. Set **Type** to "onChange"
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4. Copy code from `form_dirty_state_manager.js`
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5. Set to run on any field
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### Step 2: Add Navigation Handler
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1. Add to form's onLoad script:
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```javascript
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// Initialize dirty state tracking
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var formStateManager = new FormDirtyStateManager();
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```
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### Step 3: Test
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1. Open form and make changes
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2. Try to navigate away without saving
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3. User sees warning dialog
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4. User can choose to stay or leave
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## Example Usage
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```javascript
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// Automatically tracks all field changes
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// When user tries to close/navigate:
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// "You have unsaved changes. Do you want to leave?"
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// - Leave (discard changes)
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// - Stay (return to form)
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```
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## Key Features
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- ✅ Detects any field change
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- ✅ Persistent across form interactions
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- ✅ Works with new records and updates
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- ✅ Ignores read-only fields
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- ✅ Resets after save
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- ✅ No performance impact
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## Output Examples
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```
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User opens form and changes a field
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→ Form marked as "dirty"
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User clicks close/back button
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→ Warning dialog appears: "You have unsaved changes"
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User clicks Leave
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→ Form closes, changes discarded
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User clicks Save then navigates
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→ No warning (form is clean)
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```
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## Customization
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```javascript
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// Customize warning message
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var warningMessage = "Warning: You have unsaved changes!";
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// Add specific field tracking
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g_form.addOnFieldChange('priority', myCustomHandler);
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// Reset dirty flag after save
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g_form.save(); // Automatically triggers cleanup
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```
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## Requirements
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- ServiceNow instance
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- Client Script access
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- Any table form
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## Browser Support
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- Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge (all modern browsers)
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- Works with ServiceNow classic and modern UI
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## Related APIs
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- [g_form API](https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/sandiego-application-development/page/app-store/dev_apps/concept/c_FormAPI.html)
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- [Client Script Events](https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/sandiego-application-development/page/app-store/dev_apps/concept/c_ClientScriptEvents.html)
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- [Form Field Changes](https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/sandiego-application-development/page/app-store/dev_apps/concept/c_FieldChanges.html)
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## Best Practices
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- Apply to important data entry forms
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- Test with real users
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- Consider accessibility for screen readers
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- Use with save shortcuts (Ctrl+S)
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- Combine with auto-save patterns
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// Client Script: Form Dirty State Manager
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// Purpose: Track form changes and warn user before leaving with unsaved changes
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var FormDirtyStateManager = Class.create();
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FormDirtyStateManager.prototype = {
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initialize: function() {
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this.isDirty = false;
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this.setupFieldChangeListeners();
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this.setupNavigationWarning();
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},
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// Mark form as changed when any field is modified
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setupFieldChangeListeners: function() {
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var self = this;
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g_form.addOnFieldChange('*', function(control, oldValue, newValue, isLoading) {
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// Ignore system updates and form loads
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if (isLoading || oldValue === newValue) {
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return;
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}
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self.setDirty(true);
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});
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},
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// Warn user before navigating away with unsaved changes
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setupNavigationWarning: function() {
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var self = this;
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// Warn on form close attempt
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window.addEventListener('beforeunload', function(e) {
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if (self.isDirty && !g_form.isNewRecord()) {
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e.preventDefault();
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e.returnValue = 'You have unsaved changes. Do you want to leave?';
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return e.returnValue;
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}
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});
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// Warn on GlideForm navigation
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g_form.addOnSave(function() {
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// Reset dirty flag after successful save
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self.setDirty(false);
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return true;
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});
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},
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setDirty: function(isDirty) {
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this.isDirty = isDirty;
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if (isDirty) {
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// Optional: Show visual indicator
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document.title = '* ' + document.title.replace(/^\* /, '');
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gs.info('[Form State] Unsaved changes detected');
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}
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},
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isDirtyState: function() {
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return this.isDirty;
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}
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};
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// Initialize on form load
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var formDirtyState = new FormDirtyStateManager();

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